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It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!

I agree - this is not a thread to discuss whether or not self teaching is a good idea, it is a "self-teaching support thread". We are already self teaching, and need a thread where we can discuss our progress - or lack of it LOL - without constantly being told that we need to get a teacher.

Late-Starter: To be honest it has been discussed to death. I only see posts like this as discouragement for the people who want to visit this thread.

Tedious is the word I might use I've never been discouraged in my own musical journey because of them. I just keep having fun.

I was way keyed last Wednesday at jam because suddenly (she says - a little like "overnight sensation" applies to someone who's been trying to break in to the music business for 10 years) I was very loose and relaxed and the piano just "popped" in its sound - quite lively and quick. Great fun.

For me, it's very mood-dependent whether I let the various "You can't progress without a teacher" posts make me feel oppressed by my entire life situation, or whether they roll off without dampening my spirits too much. Mostly I try to view it as a matter of making lemonade from life's lemons -- a matter of appreciating the freedoms that self-teaching allow me.

But there is also something much larger and deeper, the question of how one motivates tasks which are not supported by any external structure in one's life -- tasks with no accountability beyond being true to one's musical self.

Edited by tangleweeds (08/30/1009:15 PM)Edit Reason: grammar

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Oops... extremely distracted by mandolins at the moment... brb

I think that what I was trying to say, is that working without external structure or reward is an interesting spiritual challenge in its own right. There's nothing visibly lost to the world by my failing to persist, just the abstract positive motivator of maintaining integrity in relation to my process of musical growth.

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Oops... extremely distracted by mandolins at the moment... brb

IMO, teachers are important for kids and students looking to major in music, or perform, but for the average adult there are diminishing returns. The older one becomes, the more this should be a side hobby then something that is taken too seriously.

It is safe to assume that the older one gets, the more unlikely they will be playing in competitions in front of a panel of judges. Friends and families are usually the ones who hear us play, and mostly they are just happy to hear us playing whether it be classical or pop.

Self teaching is sufficient for an adult because this is not our priority and you can actually get a lot out of reading books, listening to recordings, etc... And I have lesson when I was younger from the ages of 7-18 and for all those years my teacher mostly corrected my posture and hands, taught me a little theory, and she would play pieces while I imitated her... then again, I had the "little old lady" piano teacher who just taught kids whose parents just wanted their kids to have fun.

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"...music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy." -Ludwig van Beethoven

I am self taught after 6 weeks of lessons a decade ago. I will say that high school band helped solidify the theory of music in my mind, those 6 weeks of lessons helped me learn posture and fingerings, etc.

My main method of practicing and learning is to just sit down with some new sheet music, try my hand at sight reading it, then slowly work my way through from start to finish.By the end, I usually end up with the song memorized anyway so i can play it wherever I go (and there's a piano).

I think there is nothing wrong with self teaching, especially if it makes you happy...anyway, thats what this is about right? I get a lot of enjoyment from sitting in front of a piano a fiddling around making up chords and melodies even though I don't do it perfectly. Piano makes me happy and I don't need to be a professional to appreciate that!

P.S. I'm excited to be a part of this forum! I am amazed to see some folks with tens of thousands of posts!

I began learning to play piano after I retired 5 years ago. I am full of music (singing, playing guitar, banjo, trumpet) so this seems to be the next (and final) step in my musical journey.

I used to jump all over the place trying to find things I could learn to play and purchased a ton of books and materials to help me learn.

I had a tendency (and still do) to practice things until I could "almost" play it. Then I would get tired of playing it and move on to something else. This has resulted in my being able to play very little from beginning to end but a ton of things at 75% completion.

I have now decided to focus on just a few pieces (5-10) and keep rotating around with those until I begin to "finish" some of them before adding any others. This seems to be working as I am now beginning to build a repertoire which I am comfortable playing at a moments notice.

As others have said, I play (and practice) because I enjoy doing it, not to arrive at some destination. I just do it for fun.

I have Alfreds All in One.. Book 1 and some Blues books and some sheet music I downloaded from Musicnotes (great site BTW).

I am also practicing "Through The Eyes Of Love" (theme from Ice Castles). It was our wedding song and I would like to learn to play it so I can play it for my wife on our 30th next year.

What I am finding is I have trouble immediately recognizing what notes are on the upper scale. Additionally when I play what I think is the right combination of notes, it doesn't sound right. So, I have jotted notations on the score and even then, some parts sound off.

I have tried looking for videos of it, but there are so many witdh different interpretations and none that show clearly the fingerings.Any ideas?

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Started Playing May 2010 at 51 yrs old, Some Self Learning, Lessons X 3yrs

I love the theme from Ice Castles! But I haven't tried playing it other than a very simple 4 bar version in the Schaum primer a few years ago, so I can't offer any suggestions. But I'd love to hear it if you get it to a recordable version.

Oh, I'm sure you can find a chart of those upper notes online somewhere to check your score against, and then you can write in the note names of the ones you are having trouble with. Just don't let any of the teachers here know that you did that. LOL

I'm joining the self teaching thread. I started learning to play piano on Xmas Day 2009, with a keyboard. I started with the Alfred Series, of which I am in Book 2. When I received my acoustic piano, I decided that I need a teacher, but due to personal conflicts which I mentioned on the Alfred thread, I have decided to quit this teacher.

I have always been a self-starter with learning. I taught myself to knit, crochet, play guitar, Irish Tin Whistle, self taught watercolorist, oil painter, so this stuff isn't new to me. It's with help like this forum, that you can achieve so much more than hammering away alone.

I will look forward to any insights and will offer my own. My first, I believe is to practice each and every day...setting up a schedule for yourself. When you do lessons, you have deadlines. Although you may not want or need to push yourself to learn certain songs, you should still have a schedule. I think my commitment to practicing each and every day has made my advancement more than anything else. Am looking forward to hearing what works for you/what doesn't!

Learning the songs you like is the key to being self taught. I like lots of types of music but it needs to have a good catchy melody.When I was taking lessons in my younger days from a teacher the songs she picked we're terrible. It's a lot more fun to hand pick my songs to learn.

I haven't had a teacher in about a decade or so but I still have improved a lot just by playing pieces that I enjoy. I took one piano class at college and improved a little bit but mainly on some music theory and those scales. I'm sure I've acquired all kinds of bad habits in the mean time playing by myself :p Which can be a downfall if you don't have a teacher but I still love to play and encourage anybody who wants to play, to go ahead and do so with or without a teacher. It's a wonderful hobby to have if you want to do something with your free time and it's very relaxing and a good way to clear your mind if you have a lot on it LOVE that PIANO!

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I am currently uploading all of my written piano sheets onto my blog to make things easier. I also have written out a few more sheets. All free check it out if you want Any questions, PM me

-Self teaching Piano is different now, we have the support of this forum, if we're having difficulty we can ask here and we get good advice. I admit I'm biased, in my early teens my parents paid for me to be tutored by three different piano teachers none of whom inspired me into wanting to continue playing piano. However, there are teachers who contribute to Pianoworld who would be excellent, unfortunately none of them seem to be located in the UK, i.e., Morodiene and Betty Patnude are locate in the USA.-

I definitely agree with Daryl though that playing pieces you like is the key to self teaching. I only play pieces that I enjoy and I'm also constantly playing new pieces. I'm always getting new music all the time. I get rather bored playing the same songs over and over unless I really enjoy them and I lose interest in playing rather fast. So playing pieces I like and playing new pieces is how I keep playing without losing interest!

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I am currently uploading all of my written piano sheets onto my blog to make things easier. I also have written out a few more sheets. All free check it out if you want Any questions, PM me

There seems to be two primary camps here (or schools of thought); one thinks the only way to learn to play the piano is to have a teacher. The other thinks they can learn to play the piano well enough without a teacher. At times, there seems to be just a little animosity between the two camps and that is a shame.

Nothing is completely and totally “self-taught” without the learner seeking instruction and information from somewhere. So, I agree with those here who believe we all learn from each other. I learn a lot by watching and listening to others play. Perhaps this is called “visual” and “auditory” learning styles.

I enjoy sitting down at my piano(s) and making some sort of coherent music to my ears. I like the way the keys feel to my fingers and hands. I like the way my piano sounds to me. Sometimes my music is coherent and sometimes it is not. Even the incoherent jargon that I play at times sounds good to my ears.

I usually match my style of music to my moods, not that I’m all that moody. If I really feel inspired, I’ll write a new song that has never been heard by anyone but me, unless I record it and post it on YT. Sometimes I’ll learn a new blues lick or a new intro run or a new cord just by playing around or noodling around, if you will. It’s all for the sake of fun and enjoyment and stress relief.

Sometimes my playing ability surprises me; sometimes it disappoints me. But it always makes me feel good and often brings a smile to my face and even tears on occasion.

Does any of this make any sense?

Take care,

Rick

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Piano enthusiast and amateur musician: "Treat others the way you would like to be treated". Yamaha C7. YouTube Channel

In the second measure of the bridge, is that a natural E or an E Sharp? I have seen it played on video both ways.

Natural E - because the key signature specifies E Flat, the little square thingy (accidental) is used to denote E Natural. The number sign accidental that would indicate an E Sharp looks similar, but you would see the difference if I could only figure out how to make the symbols show up here. Sorry. Look at the 2nd measure, 2nd line, page 2, and the 3rd measure, 1st line, page 3 - each has an F-Sharp accidental, and you can see the difference in the symbols.

Originally Posted By: Cobra1365

Then in the 8th measure, it has a "Fm7/Bb" how is that played?

Ignore the chord markings above the staff. Just tell your brain that they are for guitar players and those crazy people dedicated to improvisation, and forget all about them. Follow the notes on the staff.

Originally Posted By: Cobra1365

Actually, the 7th, 8th and 9th measures all give me problems!

Because of the chord notation? or for other reasons?

Edited by jlynne (10/13/1007:06 PM)

_________________________99% of what I produce at the piano is simply noise, but that other 1%? That's music.

Mainly chord notations. I will readily admit, I am weak on chords. I REALLY need to practice them more. They just don't come to me easliy when I see them on sheet music. I end up pausing to think about what I am seeing.

I alos don't fully understand the "to Coda" part. I always thought that mean the way to end the song. Yet it seems you go to the coda and then back to the second verse. Or am I lost here too?

Thanks!

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Started Playing May 2010 at 51 yrs old, Some Self Learning, Lessons X 3yrs

Mainly chord notations. I will readily admit, I am weak on chords. I REALLY need to practice them more.

We all do. One step at a time.

Originally Posted By: Cobra1365

I alos don't fully understand the "to Coda" part. I always thought that mean the way to end the song. Yet it seems you go to the coda and then back to the second verse. Or am I lost here too?

Thanks!

You got me there. My copy of the music does not have a Coda. So, I'm not sure what you are seeing. As noted above, we can't post even portions of copyrighted material, so can you describe the notation?

Generally speaking, you are correct, the Coda ends the piece. Just before the actual start of the Coda, you will see the notation, "D.S. ___ al ___ Coda". In the blanks are two weird looking characters. The first is a lazy S with an inverted percent sign superimposed on it. That is the "Segno" or "sign". That same character will appear by itself at some point in the music - usually toward the beginning. The second character is the Coda sign. It looks like a capital letter "O" with an inscribed plus sign or cross. That sign also appears by itself - at the start of the Coda.

Playing through the first time, when you reach "D.S. __ al __ Coda, you return to the point in the music where the Segno appears by itself, and play from there until you are directed to go "to Coda," at which point you jump to the Coda sign and then play to the end.

Does that help, or have I confused you more?

[edit] PS: If you really can't make yourself ignore the chord notation, this site may be of some help. 8notes

Edited by jlynne (10/14/1003:42 PM)

_________________________99% of what I produce at the piano is simply noise, but that other 1%? That's music.

Playing through the first time, when you reach "D.S. __ al __ Coda, you return to the point in the music where the Segno appears by itself, and play from there until you are directed to go "to Coda," at which point you jump to the Coda sign and then play to the end.

Does that help, or have I confused you more?

That part clears it up! Thanks!

I sent you a PM about the score.

Edited by Cobra1365 (10/14/1004:14 PM)

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Started Playing May 2010 at 51 yrs old, Some Self Learning, Lessons X 3yrs

Hi, resurrecting this thread because besides it being awesome, I have a question.

I had a teacher for two years, and learned a lot....well a lot for two years. Anyway, I simply can not afford a teacher anymore. Does anyone think those two years should be enough foundation for me to go it alone with significantly less likelihood of bad habits?

I read these forums, music theory books, and watch videos, which, while not an actual person, are a type of teacher in my eyes.

It's an interesting question and I don't feel experienced enough to really answer but my insight is this.

I have had a teacher for a year, I got a teacher a couple of months after starting piano. Except for the very start I virtually have always picked the repertoire I practice/learn and during the year it feels I have guided the general direction. I like having a teacher for the tricky questions that pop up but I think I could live without one when there is a great resource like PW.

I am highly motivated and disciplined in my practice so don't need the motivation of a weekly session. Using my books, PW, and the internet I can usually work out any problem that arises. What I feel my teacher really provides is a guide and a sounding board. I think these are important elements but to be honest I do wonder if I could get by without them. I think probably not as there would be something nagging at me am I still doing the right thing all the time. But if it were a financial decision I could go without and still maintain learning and improving.

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I thought I understood endurance sport; then I took up piano XXXVII-8-XXX